Quick disconnect coupling for high pressure gas or liquid



' Dec. 4, 1956 H. w. K. sEELER 2,772,898

QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING FOR HIGH PRESSURE GAS 0R LIQUID Filed Aug. 30, 1951 JNVENTOR.

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wearing oxygen masks or pressurized suits.

QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLINGFOR HIGH PRESSURE GAS OR nLIQUID` Henry W. K. Seeler, Dayton, Qhio, assignor to the United States of America as represented kby the Secretary of the Aix' Force j Application August 30, 1951, Serial No. 244,445

e z claims. (crasse-19o) e, (Granted under nue ss, U. s. code (1952), se. im

The invention described herein `may'be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to devices for quickly disconnecting high pressure lines `and in particular to devices for enabling a pilot to sever himself from high altitude and high speed aircraft in order to safely eject himself from the ship.

One of the problems in ejecting pilots out of aircraft has been the diiculty in quickly disconnecting the supply lines to the pilot from the aircraft, for example, the oxygen supply line from the aircraft leading to the pilot Since an eicient device for disconnecting the oxygenline becomes necessary when the occasion arises t`o abandon the ship, it is therefore ai'nobjectof this invention toy quickly discony parts.

, nect theoxygenuline-from the pilot by a simple release e Y A further olrlject of this invention `is to minimizewthe friction in the device resulting from the high pressure in the oxygen line when disconnecting the coupling.

A still further object of this invention is to usethe high pressure in the oxygen line in separating the two part coupling.-` .t

These and otherobjects will become apparent from the'following ,detailed description of the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate onlyv some embodiments .of this invention.` 1

presenting unequal pressure areas.

. Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing v another modification of the subject invention.

Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5. n

In the above figures, similar parts have like numbers.

Referring to Figurek l, the two part quick release couplingdevice comprises anintertting tubular female section ormember A1 and male section or member 2. Female section 1 is connected to the oxygenfline at 3 and the male section is connected to the oxygen line at 4. The male section 2 is positioned in the male section receiving bore 30 in the female section 1. The quick Vrelease means includes two openings 6 which extend through the female section 1 and are aligned with the halfv round annular groove 5 in the male section. The

- coupled members to further sealthe deyice.

fr 2,772,898 e 4Patentedl) ec. 4, 1956 2 openings 6 present half round grooves to the half roun annular grooves at the point 6', Fig. 2, thereby together making round openings through the coupling.v A U-shaped retaining pin Y7 acting as a quick release means extends through these openings thereby locking the sections 1 outlet bore in themale member at 10.` 500 p. s. i. is the normal pressure of the oxygen supplied to the pilot which pressure forces O ring 8 into tight engagement with the ejection seat is thrown from the aircraft a simultaneous pull on cord 7 removes retaining pin 7 and automatically the sections 1 andZ of the coupling separate due to the high pressure in the oxygen line.

An objection to the above modification is the force necessary to overcome the friction in the grooves 5 and 6 Aon retaining pin 7 due to the pressure in the oxygen lines thereby making it difficult to remove the retaining pin 7. Under test, a force of 28 pounds was required to overcome the friction due to a pressure of the fluid of 500 p. s. i. in the coupling. A method of overcoming this objection is shown in Figure 3 wherein the quick release means further includes divertingthe fluid flow in the female section from the inlet bore 9 which is closed at one end into ports l20 which enter into the annular chamberZl. This chamber 21V is axially disposed beyond the closed end of bore 9 and is coaxial therewith. A male member receiving'bore 30 alsojclose'd at one end is disposed at the opposite end ofthe female member 1 away from the inlet bore 9 and is `:coaxially aligned with the chamber 21 and the inlet bore 9. This male member receiving bore 30 annular groove or chamberZl in the'female section 1 to form an Venlarged chamber and to provide ajconnection between the male` member bore 10 and the chamber 21.

`This" eliminates' the force necessary to overcome the friction on thehret'aining pi1`1`7 duev to the pressure inthe oxygen line Vby balancing out Vthe high pressuref Y A smallV hole 15 extending through the female section to the ambient air serves as a check to any build-up of pressure behind nthe male section 2. Male section 2 is provided with annular wedge-shaped grooves 16 and 17 having O ringsv 18 and 19 therein. Y' v In operation the oxygen ow is diverted through ports v 20 and grooveV 21 Ainto groove 11 and ports i2 then through outlet 10.v In passing through groove llfthe pressure exerted on the faces of the groove 11 at 13 and 14 are equal since the areas at 13 and 14 are equal.

Therefore, upon removal of retaining pin 7 there is no force dueto the pressure tending to separate sections 1 and 2. This'also eliminates theforce on retaining pin 7 due to thehigh pressure in the oxygen line. The flow of Y tiuid passes faces 13 and 14 of groove`11 into the wedgeshaped annular grooves 16 and 17 compressing the 0 rings 18 and 19 and sealingV the coupling against leakage. In the event of leakagepass the O rings 18 and 19 due to deterioration and wear, pressure build-up behind the male section 2 will be prevented by exhausting this pressure through hole 15 to the atmosphere. Under test with the coupling in avertical position and the retaining pin re- When' the 3 moved, 2000 p. s, i. was applied and the sections did not separate, the forces being balanced out. Also practically no force was required'to eject the retaining pin under the 2000 p. s. i. with thecoupling ina horizontal position `and pin in place.

l culties caused by the frictional grippingrof retaining pin 7 due to the decoupling force acting between the sections .which is causedby the high fiuid pressure owing through them, Vbut is strong enough to separate or kiclcout the sections when the retaining pin is removed. This is accomplished by makingthe faces of the groove 11 at 14',

larger than the face at 13'. Thefincrease in the erective pressure area at 14 creates the controlled unbalanced force tending to automatically separate or kick out the sections. Any desirable kick out force can be obtained by changing the relative area between faces .13 and 14.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures and 6 comprises coupling members 20 and 21' having uncoupling member 22 slidably and rotatablymounted on the member A torsion type spring 23 tends to hold the spiral cam surface 22 on member 22 against a similar cam surface 21" of member 21. A clamp meming pull cord 26 ,to rotate Vthe uncoupling member 22.

A circular memberr27 on thecoupling/member 20 includes several spring latch detentsZS whichare adapted Yto engagea shoulder 29 on the member-21 to vhold the 'coupling' members together andV compress the yC), ring 30.

When the cord 21S-is pulledV the members -22 and 24 rotate and by reason of the-spiral camformations 21 and k22, the uncoupling member 22 is'rforced downwardly. The annular cam face 31 engagesthe free ends of theV latch detents 28 to force them away from the shoulder -2'9V and allow separation of the coupling members 20 and-21. The torsion spring 23 acts also as a compression spring to hold the cam surfaces 21, and 22' in engagement.

As a result of this invention the pilot canrelease him- 'self from the aircraft by a minimum of effort.

Further, as a result of this invention a simple durable coupling which is capable of withstanding high pressures can be provided. p l l VIt is apparent the specificY illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the inventions above described are subject to variation and modification without departing from the scope and intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Whereby I claim:

l. A coupling for connecting conduits carrying a high pressure fluid comprising, a male member having a first and a second cylindrical member in axial alignment separated from each other by a first groove, said first cylindrical memberhaving a diameter slightly smaller than said second cylindrical member, said malemember having a first bore connecting with said first groove and adapted to be connected with a conduit, affemale'member having second and third bores slidably receiving said first and second cylindrical members on said male member, a

,fourth bore, whereby pressure Within said first and second grooves tends to separate said male and female members vby a force proportional to thedifference in'the diameters References *Cited the file, ofthis patent vUNITED STATES PATENTS 899,582 Weston Sept. 29, 1908 1,298,878 Brown Apr. l, 1919 1,553,184 VMueller Sept 8, 1925 1,985,012 Boehm A. Dec. 18, 1934 2,021,241.v VMall Nov. 191935 2,088,530 'McCune July 27, 1937 2,092,116 Hansen Sept. 7, 1937 2,263,293V Ewald Nov. l18, 1941 2,346,051 Seamark Apr. 4, 1944 2,503,495 Koester Apr. l1, 1950 2,511,495 CrotV June '13, 1950 2,511,765 Bradbury .Tune 13, 1950 2,578,542 Hanson Dec. 11, 1951 2,619,367 Hanson Nov. 25, 1952 FOREIGN lPATENTS v France Mar. 28, 19.13 

